Is AI a game changer or a spoilsport? Chinese audience acceptance of AI in sports communication from a media affordance perspective

Introduction The rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into sports communication presents a fundamental tension between technological efficiency and humanistic values. Methods To understand the mechanisms of audience adoption, this study applies the media affordance framework to investigate the factors shaping audience acceptance of AI in sports. A comprehensive questionnaire survey was conducted and collected 526 valid responses from sports viewers across mainland China. Results Multiple linear regression analysis reveals that content credibility and cross-scenario adaptability are the most two significant positive predictors of audience acceptance. Conversely, the perceived ethical risks of technology act as a powerful inhibitor. Further analysis uncovers significant group differences: younger, “digital native” audiences and students exhibit greater skepticism, whereas mid-career professionals and sports industry insiders demonstrate higher levels of acceptance. Discussion All the above content collectively suggest that audience acceptance is a complex negotiation between the perceived utility of AI and its ethical implications. On this basis, this study extends the application of media affordance theory and provides an empirical basis for a multi-stakeholder collaborative framework to foster human-AI synergy in the evolving sports media landscape.